George m



(No Model.) I I G. M. WELLS.

LAST.

N. PETERS. msmm m, Wnhingm D. O.

Patented May 1,1883.

UNITED STATES GEORGE M. WELLS, OF

PATENT OFFICE.

BOSTON, MASSAGHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO JOSEPH S. SMITH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

LAST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,651, dated. May 1, 1883.

Application filed October 4, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, GEORGE M. WELLS, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Lasts, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part hereof, in which- I Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved last. Fig. 2 is a plan, partly in section. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the metal bottom. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the block.

My invention relates to'that class of lasts having a metal bottom part and a wood or metal block; and it consists, first, in making a number of cavities in the upper surface of the metal bottom part, and inserting in them pieces of wood or. the like to enable the bottom part of, the last to be built up by the shoe-maker, that is, altered in shape as required.

Wood lasts are now frequently built up to change their shape by pegging or nailing on strips of leather; and the main object of my invention is to provide an iron last which can be thus built up.

Another feature of my invention relates to holding theblocktothe bottom; anditconsists in the use of a spring-catch for connecting the bottom and block, arranged so that the block, when forced home, is locked in place by the spring-catch.

In the drawings, A represents the metal bottom part; B, the block. O is a stem for supporting the last on a standard. The bottom part, A, has a series of cavities, a, in its upper surface, and into-these cavities blocks of wood or the like are inserted, the cavities being placed in such relation to each other that a piece of sole-leather may be firmly pegged or nailed to the iron last. Other pieces of leather can then be pegged or nailed onto this first piece, and the whole then trimmed to give the change of shape desired, as will be well understood by shoe-makers in the habit of building up wooden lasts.

In springcatches for holding the block heretofore used a projecting screw has been forced between the two parts, so as to be grasped by them, In my improved last the bottom part, A, is providedwith a projecting rib or tongue, b, which fits into a corresponding groove in the block B. Aspring, d, is secured, by means of the pinf, in a slot in the rib, and takes in cavities in the sides of the groovein the block 3 when the block is in place, thereby holding it securely. When the block is to be removed the spring will yield when the requisite force is applied, and allow it to be withdrawn.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. Ida metal last, a series of cavities, a, formed in the upper surface of the last, and filled with wood or like material, whereby the metal last is adapted to be built up, as described.

2. The combination of the bottom A, formed with a rib, b, the slot in the rib b, and the spring 01, secured in and projecting from this slot, with the block B, having a groove to fit the rib on the bottom A and bear against the spring 01, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ceo- M, WELLS.

Witnesses:

J. E. MAYNADIER, WM. ZITTEL. 

